Saudi Arabia Secretly Struck Iran During Regional War

Saudi Arabia launched numerous, unpublicized strikes on Iran in retaliation for attacks carried out in the kingdom during the Middle East war, according to two Western officials and two Iranian officials cited by Reuters.

The attacks, launched by the Saudi Air Force, were assessed to have been carried out in late March. One Western official described them as "tit-for-tat strikes in retaliation for when Saudi Arabia was hit." Reuters was unable to confirm what the specific targets were. Neither the Saudi foreign ministry nor the Iranian foreign ministry directly addressed the matter when approached for comment.

A Historic First in Saudi-Iranian Hostilities

The Saudi attacks mark the first time the kingdom is known to have directly carried out military action on Iranian soil, reflecting a notably more assertive posture from Riyadh in defending itself against its main regional rival. The broader conflict traces back to February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, drawing in Gulf states in ways that had not been publicly acknowledged until now.

Saudi Arabia, which has traditionally relied on U.S. military protection, found itself exposed as the 10-week war produced attacks that pierced that umbrella. At the peak of the violence, more than 105 drone and missile strikes hit the kingdom in a single week (March 25-31), according to a Reuters tally of Saudi defence ministry statements. That figure fell to just over 25 in the week of April 1-6.

Strikes Followed by Diplomatic Engagement

Rather than triggering further escalation, the covert strikes opened a back channel. Iranian and Western officials said Saudi Arabia informed Tehran of the attacks, after which intensive diplomatic engagement began. Saudi threats to retaliate further ultimately led to a bilateral understanding to de-escalate, with the informal arrangement taking hold in the week before Washington and Tehran agreed a broader ceasefire on April 7.

Saudi Arabia's approach contrasted with that of the United Arab Emirates. While Riyadh maintained communication with Iranian officials, including through Tehran's ambassador in Riyadh, the UAE adopted a more hawkish posture aimed at imposing costs on Iran, according to Reuters.

A senior Saudi foreign ministry official, without addressing the strikes directly, said the kingdom remained committed to "de-escalation, self-restraint and the reduction of tensions."

Sources:
Reuters via U.S. News: Saudi Arabia launched covert attacks on Iran as regional war widened
Al-Monitor: Saudi Arabia launched covert attacks on Iran, sources say
The Media Line: Saudi Arabia secretly struck Iran after Iranian attacks, Reuters reports